Dean Smith Remains Optimistic Leicester City Can Avoid Relegation

Leicester City's new caretaker manager Dean Smith remains optimistic about the club's chances of avoiding relegation from the Premier League, despite taking over with the team second-bottom in the table.

Smith, who replaced Brendan Rodgers earlier this month, acknowledged the tough battle ahead but pointed out that nearly half of the league's 20 clubs are involved in the congested relegation scrap.

Leicester will face four of these teams in the coming weeks, and Smith sees these matches as crucial for their survival.

"The points are there to be won, to grab, to get out of the bottom three," Smith told reporters. "It's been a season I've not seen before in terms of nine teams involved in the relegation battle. The more we can keep in that, it's not insurmountable to get out."

Smith, who previously managed Aston Villa, believes that Leicester's players just need a lift in confidence and he is focused on putting smiles on their faces. When asked about his potential candidacy for the permanent managerial position, Smith replied that it's not a conversation they have had yet and he is taking the job as an interim.

Leicester's first game under Smith's leadership will be a tough test against defending champions Manchester City on Tuesday. Despite the challenge, Smith emphasized the importance of having a game plan and belief in their ability to get a result against one of the strongest teams in the Premier League.

Leicester will be without the injured duo of Harvey Barnes and Ricardo Pereira for the Manchester City clash, but midfielder Youri Tielemans, who has been sidelined since February, is available for selection according to Smith. The manager sees Tielemans and Jonny Evans as key players who bring calmness to the team.